Students are facing a second day of strikes as lecturers fight changes to their pensions.
Classes were cancelled at Manchester and Salford Universities yesterday as tutors picketed major academic buildings.
The University and Colleges Union, which organised the walk-out, said a 'majority' of classes were cancelled – with most students choosing to stay at home.
Staff from 47 English universities took part in yesterday's strike – and even more are expected to walk out tomorrow.
The dispute centres on plans to raise the retirement age and increases in contributions for lecturers. Universities argue they can no longer afford final salary schemes
An even bigger strike about pensions, pay and job security – this time including tutors from Manchester Metropolitan University and FE colleges – is planned for tomorrow.
Yesterday, hundreds of protesters expressed their opposition to the pension shake-up at a rally on the Oxford Road campus.
David Beale, UCU spokesman at Manchester University, said yesterday's action had sent out a strong message.
He said: “Our branch has 2,000 members and I'm confident that most, but not all of them, were striking today.
“Although it is lecturers we are picketing, we've had official messages of support from the students' unions and as far as we can see, most students have decided they do not want to come in.”
Philippa Whittaker, UCU Salford branch vice-president, added that the 'vast majority' of their 700 members were on strike.
Buy Salford University claimed that the majority of lectures had been unaffected.
A spokeswoman said: “The level of disruption caused by the UCU strike action to student services at Salford has been negligible.”
Manchester and Salford students' unions came up in support of the lecturers. Students said many striking lecturers wrote directly to them warning that classes were cancelled.
Ricky Chotai, president of Salford Students' Union, said: “After the pickets finished, it seemed like a normal day on campus but many students just came in because of the nice weather.
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Why do these Lecturers think that they are immune from what is happening to virtually everybody in the real world.
How would we know the difference if they went on strike?
Yup., welcome to the World of very few people have Final Salary pensions.
Are you sure this picture is of university lecturers? In their dress, comportment and demeanour do they look good examples to the young? Fortunately, this militant trade union does NOT have even half of the university lecturers as members who seem more concerned about their pensions than any care for their students.
Nice impartial title MEN. I think most students would support the lecturers. and @Voter - you can hardly see what they are wearing and even if you could, who cares what they wear?
I wouldn`t even employ them, just goes to show they are really pillocks after all looking at that picture. They do get paid a lot so should have better dress sense, oh thats the problem isn`t it they don`t have any sense atall.
The judgemental comments in here is unbelievable - and totally off topic! Who cares what they're wearing?
Just because academics have gone on strike doesn't mean they don't care about their students; they just care about their family's future more.